Ruth Agnes Daly facts for kids
Ruth Agnes Daly, born in 1958, is an American astrophysicist. This means she is a scientist who studies space, stars, and the universe.
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Her Journey to the Stars
Ruth Daly first studied Psychology and English at Boston College, earning her degree in 1979. After that, she decided to change her focus. She went to Boston University to study Astronomy and Physics.
She continued her studies at Boston University, earning her master's degree in 1984 and her Ph.D. in 1987. For her Ph.D., she worked with important professors like Alan P. Marscher and Sheldon Glashow.
After her Ph.D., she received a special fellowship to study at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge from 1987 to 1988. There, she was sponsored by Sir Martin Rees, another famous scientist.
In 1988, Dr. Daly joined the Physics Department at Princeton University. She worked there in different roles, starting as a research associate and later becoming an assistant professor. In 1998, she moved to Bucknell University, and then in 1999, she joined the faculty at the Pennsylvania State University's Berks Campus. Today, she is a professor of physics at Penn State University, Berks campus.
What She Studies in Space
Dr. Daly's research involves looking at the universe in many ways. She does theoretical work (thinking about how things should work), phenomenological work (studying what we observe), and observational work (using telescopes to gather data).
Her main areas of study are:
- Cosmology: This is the study of the universe as a whole, including its origin, evolution, and future.
- Extragalactic astrophysics: This focuses on objects and events outside our own galaxy, the Milky Way.
How the Universe Grows
Dr. Daly is well-known for her work on how the universe has expanded and sped up over time. She studies these "expansion and acceleration histories" to figure out what the universe is made of.
Working with Professor Stanislav George Djorgovski, she found a way to measure the universe's expansion and acceleration without needing to know a specific theory of gravity or what the universe contains. Their findings show that the universe is currently speeding up its expansion, but it was slowing down in the recent past.
Secrets of Black Holes
Dr. Daly also studies supermassive black holes. These are giant black holes found at the center of most galaxies. She has shown that by looking at the material shooting out from near a supermassive black hole, scientists can estimate how fast the black hole is spinning.
Her ongoing research continues to explore the universe's acceleration and the amazing properties of these supermassive black holes. You can find more details about her work on her website.
Awards and Recognition
In 2020, Dr. Daly was named a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). This is a big honor! She received this recognition for her important studies on supermassive black holes.
Her work helped show how these black holes can be used like "cosmic rulers" to measure distances in the universe. She also provided early evidence of their role in the universe's acceleration and gave new insights into how supermassive black holes spin.
